Medical Humanities Commons^™

Fine Particles In Homes Of Predominantly Low-Income Families With Children And Smokers: Key Physical And Behavioral Determinants To Inform Indoor-Air-Quality Interventions, Neil E. Klepeis, John Belletierre, Suzanne C. Hughes, Benjamin Nguyen, Vincent Berardi, Sandy Liles, Saori Obayashi, C. Richard Hofstetter, Elaine Blumberg, Melbourne F. Hovell

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Children are at risk for adverse health outcomes from occupant-controllable indoor airborne contaminants in their homes. Data are needed to design residential interventions for reducing low-income children's pollutant exposure. Using customized air quality monitors, we continuously measured fine particle counts (0.5 to 2.5 microns) over a week in living areas of predominantly low-income households in San Diego, California, with at least one child (under age 14) and at least one cigarette smoker. We performed retrospective interviews on home characteristics, and particle source and ventilation activities occurring during the week of monitoring. We explored the relationship between weekly mean particle counts …

New Outpatient Experience Survey Design: A Quality Improvement Case Study, Nathan Paluso

Muskie School Capstones and Dissertations

The purpose of this capstone project is to evaluate the implementation process for a new survey methodology introduced by Maine Medical Partners (MMP), by following the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) quality improvement cycle framework. This new survey has been implemented to collect data on patients’ experiences in the MMP outpatient facilities, and is offered to the patients via iPad at check-out after their appointment. Through observation at MMP practices and MMP staff interviews, strengths and weaknesses of the implementation process have been identified. Evidence-based solutions pertaining to the identified weaknesses have been selected through a literature review and are incorporated in recommendations …

2nd Place Research Paper: Patient Activation Among Diverse Populations: A Systematic Review, Megan Kenney

Kevin and Tam Ross Undergraduate Research Prize

The purpose of this article was to review the current research regarding patient activation among diverse populations. Patient activation is defined as an individual’s knowledge, skill, and confidence in managing his or her own health and health care. A total of 62 articles were used in this review (54 primary research articles, six retrospective analyses, and two systematic reviews). Articles were obtained using the EBSCO search engine through the Leatherby Libraries at Chapman University. Preliminary and secondary searches were conducted using the keywords “patient activation.” Only articles published within the last ten years (2007 to 2017) were included to ensure …

After The Dark Comes The Light, Jenifer Van Deusen

Akesis

No abstract provided.

Progress, William Ciurylo

Akesis

Finally, the weekend. Finally, free of the constraints of mandatory lectures and clinical experiences. Finally, freedom to work how and when I want to work; learn how and when I want to learn. The lack of structure is refreshing. I will be so productive. Finally. But first – I will sleep in. Might as well, I am free to do so after all. I am my own person for once. Just because I sleep in does not mean that I won’t master the material. I work better in the afternoons and evenings anyway. I deserve this after a week of …

The Knock Of Progress, Nihit N. Mehta

Akesis

This work is created as an amateur attempt, to push forward the philosophy of caring touch in modern medicine.

William Walker And The Seeds Of Progressive Imperialism: The War In Nicaragua And The Message Of Regeneration, 1855-1860, John J. Mangipano

Dissertations

For a brief period of time, between 1855 and 1857, William Walker successfully portrayed himself to American audiences as the regenerator of Nicaragua. Though he arrived in Nicaragua in June 1855, with only fifty-eight men, his image as a regenerator attracted several-thousand men and women to join him in his mission to stabilize the region. Walker relied on both his medical studies as well as his experience in journalism to craft a message of regeneration that placated the anxieties that many Americans felt about the instability of the Caribbean. People supported Walker because he provided a strategy of regeneration that …

The Acute Effects Of Caffeine And L-Theanine On Cognition In Older Adults, Lauren Tilley

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Undergraduate Honors Theses

The acute effects of L-theanine and Caffeine on cognition in older adults

Tilley, L., Gray, M., Stone, M., & Binns, A.; Human Performance Lab; University of Arkansas; Fayetteville, AR.

Introduction: Cognitive decline is an impairment that affects many adults and has the potential to be decelerated. Previous studies show that caffeine and L-theanine positively affect cognition in a young population. L-theanine is an amino acid found in tea that produces a relaxation affect. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to determine the acute effects of caffeine and L-theanine on cognition in older adults. Methodology: Fifty-three older adults …

Humor In Medicine: A Literature Review Of Humor’S Potential Therapeutic Value In Health Care, Weston Michael Grant

Psychological Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Using humor and laughter within the health care field has the potential to be relevant to patients during treatment, to the patient-caregiver relationship, to the subjective well-being of health care providers, and to the environments’ (e.g., work settings) impact on group relationships (e.g., colleagues). A review of the literature examines how the psychological and physiological effects of laughter and humor within the human body impact health and well-being, how humor and laughter improve the patient-practitioner relationship, and if humor and laughter can potentially impact physician burnout. Several possible implications for these findings are discussed, such as professional medical comedians, improvements …

Making Sex Work For The State : The Policing Of Sex Work In The United States., Madeline A Clabough

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

This thesis analyzes the ways that sex work is regulated within the United States, and analyze the ways that regulation is shaped by contemporary feminist discourse. To do so, it analyzes the ways in which sex workers have been and pathologized since the 19th century, and address the ways that these conceptualizations have been incorporated into the legal regulation of sex workers. Finally, this thesis will look to contemporary practices in the state regulation of sex workers, and argue that the relationship between neoliberalism, the carceral state, and what has come to be termed “carceral feminism” operate in conjunction to …

Schizophrenia And Its Effects On An American Family: A Call To Action For The 21st Century, Cynthia Newton Captain

Senior Theses

Our country’s healthcare system is at a moral crossroads. The way we treat those whom we call “the homeless” is deplorable. The majority of the homeless are mentally ill and need treatment. Our country needs to treat those with the severe brain diseases of schizophrenia, schizo-affective disorder, and bi-polar disorder just as we would Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. Those with severe mental illness, who have no insight into their illness, should not be allowed to dictate their own treatment. If a homeless person is brought to San Francisco General Hospital and is found to be a schizophrenic in psychiatric …

The Design Of An Instrument To Assess Clinical Laboratories Efficacy Post Implementation Of The Patient Protection Affordable Care Act, Harry Mcdonald Jr.

Dissertations

The healthcare system in the United States has undergone substantial changes in support of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). On March 23, 2010, the implementation of the new healthcare law brought universal healthcare access to all Americans, while attempting to increase quality and decrease medical costs. The new law promotes more of a quality-focused, outcome-based model rather than a pay-for-fee service model; thus, moving the paradigm from infrequent to preemptive healthcare. The PPACA postulates as the only way to achieve cost savings while increasing quality and access. Never before has there been such an extensive change to …

An Unusual Pulmonary Complication Of Statin Medication, Milliejoan Mongalo, Madhvi Shah, Lynne J. Goebel

Marshall Journal of Medicine

Statins or hydroxyl-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors have proven efficacy at decreasing cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Although statins have been prescribed safely, there should be more awareness of the possible adverse effects. Recently, we encountered a patient who had unexplained dyspnea, weakness, and immobility. The patient’s symptoms were alleviated after discontinuing the statin medication. Although we have no concrete evidence that her symptoms were due to the medication, the temporal relationship of symptom improvement upon discontinuation of the statin, led us to the conclusion that it could potentially have been the cause. Unexplained dyspnea is not listed as an …

A Legislation Review: Bill C-14 “Euthanasia Or Assisted Dying”, Kullen G. Stewart

Bridges: An Undergraduate Journal of Contemporary Connections

This article is a policy analysis that covers the request for an amendment for the doctor assisted suicide law introduced as BillC-14 on June 16, 2016, exploring the considerations to further expand the bill to better meet individual’s rights regarding end of life decisions. However, the purpose of legislation which has been achieved in this bill presented both ethical infractions and creates restrictive requirements that explicitly exclude a specific population that suffers from degenerative diseases. Attempts to improve the restrictions and requirements for Bill C-14 are outlined and discussed.

2nd Place Contest Entry: Patient Activation Among Diverse Populations: A Systematic Review, Megan Kenney

Kevin and Tam Ross Undergraduate Research Prize

This is Megan Kenney's submission for the 2017 Kevin and Tam Ross Undergraduate Research Prize, which won second place. She wrote about the patient activation (a measure of an individual’s knowledge, skill, and confidence in managing his or her own health and health care) among diverse populations. You can read the final essay that came out of her research here.

Megan is a senior at Chapman University, majoring in Kinesiology. Her faculty mentor is Dr. Elizabeth DeBaets.

El Estudio Del Viejismo En La Ciudad Autónoma De Buenos Aires Desde La Perspectiva De Los Adultos Mayores Con Diferentes Coberturas De Salud \ The Study Of Ageism In The Autonomous City Of Buenos Aires From The Perspective Of Older Adults With Different Health Coverage, Tara Tardino

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Argentina is a country with that has a growing population of older adults as the life expectancy continues to increase. Because the population of older people continues to grow, ageism is a topic of concern. Ageism, or discrimination against older people because of their age, can affect one’s mental health, one’s auto-perception of identity and abilities, one’s relationship with his or her doctor, and can contribute to maltreatment and abuse. In this present research I explored how older adults in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires perceive stereotypes of older people in society, how these stereotypes can lead to discrimination, …

Can The Humanities Humanize Health Care?, Julet Baltonado, Tyler Cymet

Osteopathic Medicine Student Publications

Science can exist without context just as medicine can exist without patients, but should it? Data supporting a need for medical students to learn literature, philosophy, language, religion, art, and music are limited, but study findings indicate that the humanities can enhance empathy in medical students.

Abuela, Anne Walsh

Physician Assistant Studies Faculty Articles and Research

"How could I, the student admitting this patient on behalf of the attending physician, ever identify and address her medical issues if we couldn't effectively communicate? How could I help her understand the medications, consultations, tests, and procedures she'd receive, not to mention the grueling regimen of daily physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech and swallowing therapy, counseling psychology, and social work sessions?"

Empathy, Casey Golomski

Anthropology

A short poem about suicidal ideation and alcoholism in the United States.

What Can A Primary Care Physician Discuss With Older Patients To Improve Advance Directive Completion Rates? A Clin-Iq, Judith M. Myers, Edmund Duthie Jr., Kathryn Denson, Steven Denson, Deborah Simpson

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

Advance directives (ADs) provide patients with the opportunity to indicate their preferences for medical care while they still maintain the capacity to express their wishes, thus retaining autonomy. ADs increase the likelihood that patients will receive the care they desire, as their family members and physicians will better understand the level of care desired. Despite this, the AD completion rate by elderly patients continues to be low, especially for patients not facing serious illnesses. Primary care physicians (PCPs) are uniquely positioned to engage patients in discussions about ADs before a health crisis arises yet often do not due to time …

Did You Hear What I Meant To Say?, Dennis J. Baumgardner

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

The author introduces Volume 4, Issue 1 of Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews by acknowledging the importance of communication between patient and caregiver in the clinical setting. Failure to communicate effectively can have a negative impact on a patient's well-being, therefore efforts to improve communication skills among clinicians, researchers and health practice administrators should be undertaken with regularity.

The Effects Of Patient Characteristics On Clinician’S Adherence To Preventive Practice Guidelines, Deshana A. Collett Ph.D,Pa-C, Kenneth M. Tyler Ph.D.

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The existence of health disparities confirms that not all patients, regardless of differences in patient demographics, are provided quality healthcare (Agency of Health Care Research and Quality, 2003). Moreover, research suggests that health disparities may be present due to the inadequate delivery of medical services (S. Haist, J. Wilson, M. Lineberry, & C. Griffith, 2007; Van Ryn, Burgess, Malat, & Griffin, 2006). The differences in the delivery of care and services to ethnic minorities and those of low socioeconomic status warrant examining the role healthcare providers play in the causation of these health disparities (Smedley, Stith, & Nelson, …

Thank You, I'M Sorry, Paige Kube

Akesis

We go into medicine to help others, cure disease, end suffering. We want to be caretakers, but to do so, there has to be disease. Does that make us thankful for the processes that cause this pain and suffering because it gives us purpose, it allows us to fulfill our role as caretakers? Who would we be without it? How can we help, be of use, if nothing is wrong, if no one needs us?

Are we subconsciously endorsing disease? Are we thankful for it? We say we’re thankful when we end it, cure it, thwart it. But, to be …

A Letter From An Editor, Nihit N. Mehta

Akesis

A Letter from an editor.

Gratitude To Our Family And Friends, Nihit N. Mehta

Akesis

We in the College of Osteopathic Medicine welcome each one of our classes with a White Coat Ceremony. It has been my honor to take part in this event for the last two years, the first time receiving my white coat and the second time as a companion. This event in it’s entirety is as much a celebration of an individual student as it is of their friends and family members. We never truly appreciate the sacrifices our families make, a debt of their love that can never be repaid!

Our missed dates,

Promises wiped from life’s slates,

My dear …

Untitled, Samantha Stephen

Akesis

I am grateful for the forest; for all the adventures I had there, the chance to connect with my friends, and better understand myself.

Made with ink, paper, and adhesive note paper.

Christians’ Cut: Popular Religion And The Global Health Campaign For Medical Male Circumcision In Swaziland, Casey Golomski, Sonene Nyawo

Anthropology

Swaziland faces one of the worst HIV epidemics in the world and is a site for the current global health campaign in sub-Saharan Africa to medically circumcise the majority of the male population. Given that Swaziland is also majority Christian, how does the most popular religion influence acceptance, rejection or understandings of medical male circumcision? This article considers interpretive differences by Christians across the Kingdom’s three ecumenical organisations, showing how a diverse group people singly glossed as ‘Christian’ in most public health acceptability studies critically rejected the procedure in unity, but not uniformly. Participants saw medical male circumcision’s promotion and …

Socioeconomic Status And Its Relationship To Chronic Respiratory Disease, Sonu Sahni, Ankoor Talwar, Sameer Khanijo, Arunabh Talwar

Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine (New York) Publications and Research

Socioeconomic status (SES) is defined as an individual’s social or economic standing, and is a measure of an individual’s or family’s social or economic position or rank in a social group. It is a composite of several measures including income, education, occupation, location of residence or housing. Studies have found a lower SES has been linked to disproportionate access to health care in many diseases. There is emerging data in pulmonary diseases such as COPD, asthma, cystic fibrosis, pulmonary hypertension and other chronic respiratory conditions that allude to a similar observation noted in other chronic diseases. In the setting of …

Ivan Illich’S Medical Nemesis And The ‘Age Of The Show’: On The Expropriation Of Death, Babette Babich

Articles and Chapters in Academic Book Collections

What Ivan Illich regarded in his Medical Nemesis as the ‘expropriation of health’ is exacerbated by the screens all around us, including our phones but also the patient monitors and increasingly the iPads that intervene between nurse and patient. To explore what Illich called the ‘age of the show’, this essay uses film examples, like Creed and the controversial documentary Vaxxed, and the television series Nurse Jackie. Rocky’s cancer in his last film (and his option to submit to chemo to ‘fight’ cancer) highlights what Illich along with Petr Skrabanek called the ‘expropriation of death’. In contrast to what Illich …

Photograph Of Mikhail Baryshnikov Dancing "A Cloud In Trousers", White Oak Dance Project, 1996, Steven Caras

be Still

No abstract provided.